Lefty shoots 71 in Colonial return

Associated Press

FORT WORTH, TEXAS

Jason Bohn, Jeff Overton and Blake Adams shot 7-under 63s on Thursday to share the first-round lead at the Colonial, where 2008 champion Phil Mickelson’s return turned into a struggle after an impressive start.

Mickelson birdied the first two holes, but that was the lowest he got on a hot day with ideal scoring conditions. Lefty finished with a 1-over 71 and is tied for 89th place, while 75 players were under par.

It will take quite a comeback for Mickelson to win his third Colonial, a victory that would push him to No. 1 in the world ranking ahead of Tiger Woods for the first time in his career. He has work to do just to make the cut and participate in the tournament’s second “Pink Out” during the third round Saturday.

Mickelson wasn’t at a pink-swathed “Hogan’s Alley” to defend his title last May after finding out that his wife had breast cancer. That is when the Colonial had its first “Pink Out” to honor Amy Mickelson and raise awareness of the disease.

Senior PGA

PARKER, Colo.

Robin Freeman’s Oklahoma roots would seem to make him the perfect golfer to handle the gusts whipping through the high plains this week.

“It would be, but I haven’t been to Oklahoma in 30 years,” Freeman quipped after shooting a 6-under 66 Thursday for a share of the first-round lead at the 71st PGA Senior Championship at Colorado Golf Club.

Two-time Masters champion Bernhard Langer also took advantage of an early tee time before the winds whipped up and dried out the greens, firing a 66 on the piney 3-year-old private course.

Tom Lehman was the notable exception among the leaders, teeing off in the afternoon and carding a 68 to sit two shots back, along with Brad Bryant, of Amarillo, Texas.

Lehman was at 5-under when his tee shot on No. 18 found the rough, and he bogeyed.

Fred Couples and Tom Kite were among four golfers three shots off the pace.

Although it wasn’t nearly as windy as Monday, when 70 mph gusts prompted club pro Scott Pence of Middletown, R.I., to deadpan: “I saw Dorothy and Toto go by,” the winds on Thursday reached 35 mph, made shots and putts tricky, and dried out the greens.